


How To Tell If Your Crush Likes You

by centreoftheselights



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, F/F, Falling In Love, Femslash February 2016, First Crush, First Dates, Magical Experimentation, Mutual Pining, Unrequited Crush, Yule Ball, working together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-16
Updated: 2016-02-16
Packaged: 2018-05-21 02:13:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6034201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/centreoftheselights/pseuds/centreoftheselights
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione is asked to work on a project with Cho. The last thing she expects is to be learning a lesson about love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How To Tell If Your Crush Likes You

**Author's Note:**

> Part of my [Femslash February prompt fills](http://centrumlumina.tumblr.com/post/138495106946/femslash-february-prompts)! Prompt: Mutual Pining.

“Harry,” Hermione asked one day in the library, while Ron was busy searching the shelves a short distance away. “Have you ever had a crush on anyone?”

Harry couldn't have looked more afraid if she'd held a gun to his head.

“Uh -” He spluttered. “I, um – _what_?”

Hermione shrugged.

“It's just that people talk about it so much, I wonder what it's like.”

“Oh,” Harry said, looking a little less spooked. “Well, I dunno. I guess we'll find out when it happens.”

“Yes,” Hermione said, her stomach sinking. “I suppose so.”

 

It was all Professor Flitwick's fault. It had begun a few weeks earlier, at the end of Charms class.

“Excuse me, Miss Granger, could you stay behind a moment?”

“Want us to wait for you?” Ron asked, but Hermione shook her head.

“I'll meet you at lunch – save me a seat.”

Hermione approached the front of class slowly, trying to work out why Professor Flitwick wanted to talk to her. Was she in trouble? She couldn't think of anything she'd done in the two weeks since term began – and wouldn't she be talking to Professor McGonagall if she were? Unless her marks in Charms were slipping? She hadn't had time to write that extra section she wanted to add to last week's essay…

Flitwick smiled at her.

“Miss Granger. I have an opportunity I think would interest you. One of my fifth years is looking for a partner for an extra credit project, and I thought you would make a good match. It will count as coursework towards your OWL next year, of course, and it will act as an introduction to the experimental method used in advanced spell development...”

Flitwick's eyes sparkled, as though he knew that his words had sunk deep into her stomach and filled her with sparks of excitement. _Extra credit. Towards her OWL. Advanced spells!_

“So,” Flitwick asked with a smile. “Do you think you'd be interested?”

“Yes!” Hermione said, a little breathless. “Yes, that sounds marvellous!”

“Oh, good!” Flitwick said. “I'll let Miss Chang know.”

 

“Chang?” Harry asked when she joined them at lunch. “As in, Cho Chang?”

“Possibly,” Hermione said. “Why, do you know her?”

“She's the Ravenclaw seeker,” Ron said, horrified by Hermione's lack of knowledge. “Harry beat her to the Snitch in last year's final?”

“Oh, yes, of course,” Hermione said sarcastically, and Ron rolled his eyes.

“I can't believe you're _volunteering_ for extra homework,” he grumbled.

“It's not just homework!” Hermione said. “It counts towards OWLs!”

“Even better, extra _exams_.”

Hermione ignored him.

“So,” she said to Harry. “Have you actually met her? What's she like?”

Harry shrugged. “She's a good flyer, but I've never actually spoken to her.”

He thought about it for a moment, then added: “She's pretty.”

 

Hermione knocked on the door of the sixth-floor classroom Flitwick had directed her to.

“Hello,” she said as the door opened. “I'm Hermione Granger.”

“I know.” Cho smiled. This involved dimples and freckles and very even white teeth. Reluctantly, Hermione had to agree with Harry's assessment – Cho was, definitely, pretty. Which, in Hermione's experience, wasn't normally a good sign.

“Come on in,” Cho said. “I just finished getting the place set up. I thought it would be good to have a clear area for experiments, but just let me know if you want to do things differently...”

Hermione stepped inside. The classroom had been transformed into a classic experimentalist's study, with broad blackboards against the walls and several desks pushed together to make a long bench to write at. She felt as though she'd stepped into an illustration in a textbook.

It was perfect.

“Yes, well, this seems fine,” she said.

“Good!” Cho's smile got even wider. “Do you want to go over the books we're going to need then?”

“Sure.” Still a little uncertain, Hermione followed Cho towards the bench where she'd started working. “I mean, for the groundwork the list is fairly obvious, isn't it? Pellerett, Fluteworthy, Wells…”

Cho wrinkled her nose. “Wells? Don't you think Godsford is more useful?”

“Wells was a great experimentalist -” Hermione began.

“But most of his ideas are outdated now,” Cho argued. “Godsford covers a lot more on the developments of the late eighteenth century -”

“Yet she completely fails to cover the cycle of transubstantiation!”

“Which doesn't have any kind of application outside of Invisibility Charms!”

After a moment, Hermione smiled. “You do have a point. Godsford it is then.”

For a moment, Cho looked like she was about to apologise – but she didn't, and Hermione was grateful for it. Instead she picked up her quill and started writing.

“Have you actually read Pellerett?” she asked as she jotted down notes. “Which translation do you recommend…?”

As she was writing, Cho reached up unconsciously to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and the motion caused a strange kind of ache in Hermione's chest.

Cho looked up. “Hermione?”

Hermione pulled herself out of her daze to answer. “Uh, the 1928 edition is the best one I've found, but I've heard good things about the 1834 if we can get hold of it...”

Cho turned back to the parchment and kept writing, while Hermione was struck by a realisation: Harry had been wrong.

Cho wasn't pretty. She was _beautiful_.

 

Hermione wasn't used to not knowing what to do. Of course, she had known this sort of thing would probably happen sooner or later – but the reality of it was proving much more distracting than she'd expected.

She needed more information. Fortunately, a source of information was readily available.

“I have _got_ to get Weird Sisters tickets next time they go on tour. Kirley Duke is _soooo_ fit.”

Lavender and Parvati had this kind of conversation in their dorm fairly regularly, and usually Hermione ignored them. But today, though her nose was still buried in her book, she found it much harder to block out the giggling discussion.

“Ooh, we can go together! Gideon is _completely_ lickable.”

Hermione blinked. That wasn't a word she'd ever come across before, and even in her current situation, she didn't think she was likely to use it any time soon.

“But if you ask me, Myron is the fittest. Those abs were chiselled from _marble_.”

Perhaps all these descriptions were supposed to be over the top. Even at her most flustered, she had never thought Cho was perfect – only that nothing about her needed to change.

“You always did like the tall ones. But you're right. I mean, any of them is enough to make me drool.”

Cho had never made Hermione drool. If anything, she found that thinking too much about Cho made her mouth suddenly dry, her breath short, her mind uncharacteristically empty.

It was exhausting.

She never wanted it to stop.

 

Two days after what she was thinking of as 'the latest catastrophe', Hermione walked up to the sixth floor lab with a storm cloud hanging over her.

Cho opened her mouth as soon as Hermione opened the door.

“No, Harry _didn't_ put his name in the Goblet of Fire,” Hermione snapped before she could say anything. “He's only competing because he has to and if you don't believe that then keep your mouth shut.”

Cho stared at her in silence. Hermione threw her bag down on a chair and started getting out her belongings as loudly as possible to cover the silence.

“I didn't ask.”

Hermione looked up sharply.

“I wasn't going to,” Cho said firmly. “I know you don't like talking about personal things with me. I wouldn't – I know Harry's your friend.”

Cho's eyes shone with passion. Hermione looked down.

“Sorry,” she said. “It's – well. This whole situation is ridiculous!”

“I can't imagine,” Cho said. “It was strange enough when the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang kids showed up...”

“The Charmwork on that flying carriage...” Hermione began, then she stopped herself. She didn't want to only ever talk work with Cho. “Did any of the Beauxbatons students sit near you? What are they like?”

“They didn't really talk to us much,” Cho said with a shrug. “I'm not sure if they were stuck-up or just shy. Although this one boy did talk to me a bit about this project. Oh!”

Her face suddenly lit up with a thought, and Hermione's stomach did a flip.

“That's what I was about to say when you came in. He recommended a book I think we should both look over...”

That afternoon the two of them worked until dinner time and then walked down to the Great Hall together, talking all the way. Hermione spent the evening glowing with happiness.

It was around midnight when the most horrible thought occurred to her.

 

Two days later, Hermione ran into Cho in the library unexpectedly. In a moment of shock, she managed to drop the large and rather unsteady heap of books in her hands all over the floor.

“Hey!” Cho said. “Let me help you with that.”

“Oh, no, it's fine…” Hermione could feel herself going red.

“Are these for our project?”

Cho glanced at the cover of the book she was holding: _What Two Witches Can Achieve: The True Story of Rowena Ravenclaw_

Hermione quickly scrambled to gather up the rest of the books as quickly as possible, but she couldn't help glancing at the titles:

_The Amortensia Effect: Navigating Magical Relationships_

_Witches Work: The Gender Politics of Magical Europe_

_Queer Minds: A History of Unusual Wizards At Work_

Cho was staring at her.

“Uh, it's research for History of Magic,” Hermione mumbled. “I'm done now, I'll just leave them here.”

She dropped them all into one of the return baskets and hurried off as quickly as possible.

 

Fortunately, two evenings later Hermione managed to stumble across a reference to a female partner in a biography of the witch who had invented the Colour-Change Charm. She breathed a sigh of relief as skimming the biography shelf turned up several more casual references. It seemed the wizarding world was a few steps ahead of the Muggle one, and took homosexuality in its stride.

Hermione was so relieved that, for almost an entire evening, she forgot that Cho had not yet shown the slightest sign of returning her interest.

 

How exactly did you know if someone had romantic feelings for you?

 _Bewitch_ , a magazine that Parvati and Lavender regularly left lying around the dorm, provided Hermione with copious suggestions.

 

_Do they go out of their way to spend time with you?_

“Hey, Hermione!”

Hermione had just come out of Arithmancy when she heard her name.

“Cho?”

Cho beamed. “I have class here next period. But since you're here – have you had any luck on the Telaric Codex yet?”

“Oh – yes. I had some thoughts on how to get around it… I've got some notes, if you want to read them.”

She dug them out of her bag and handed them over.

“That's amazing!” Cho's eyes scanned the page. “So, what have you got next?”

Hermione blinked. “Uh, Care of Magical Creatures, actually. I'd better get going!”

Cho smiled. “See you later!”

Hermione's heart raced as she turned and hurried away.

 

_Do they find excuses to touch you?_

Hermione frowned down at the chart in front of her.

“Problems?” Cho asked, looking up from the heavy book she was reading.

“I just can't get this concordance to resolve,” Hermione admitted.

“Can I see?” Cho leaned over Hermione, so close that her hair almost touched Hermione's face.

Cho stared at the page for a few seconds, while Hermione tried hard to keep her breathing level.

“You could try a rotation… May I?” Cho took the quill from Hermione's unresisting hand. “See, if you turn through the fourth aspect…”

Cho swept the pencil across the page, and Hermione's attention shifted back to the problem at hand. Cho was right – she had found a solution Hermione hadn't yet considered.

“… and I think that's ready to try!” Cho concluded, standing straight again.

Hermione smiled, and gestured towards the experimentation space.

“Do you want to do the honours?”

 

_Do they laugh at your jokes?_

“I read the article in the Daily Prophet...”

“You and the rest of the school,” Hermione grumbled.

“I guess Harry is more sensitive than I thought.” Cho cracked a wicked grin. “I hope he's not too upset. Rita Skeeter likes to stir up trouble.”

“I think he'll survive,” Hermione said wryly. “After all, I'll be there to comfort him, now that our 'love' is front page news.”

Cho giggled, and ducked her head.

“Now,” Hermione said. “How about we talk about something that actually matters?”

 

Hermione was starting to think that Bewitch magazine had confused 'romantic feelings' for something else, like 'friendship' or 'treating you like a person'. It was true that Cho had passed most of the questions with ease – but so would Ron and Harry and, despite what Rita Skeeter might think, that didn't mean Hermione was dating them.

It was hopeless. After two months of agony, Hermione even resorted to writing to her mum for advice – but the reply was predictably useless.

_You're beautiful, brave and brilliant. Anyone would be lucky to date you. If this boy doesn't return your affections, then more fool him._

Hermione was certain that the situation couldn't get any worse.

Then the Yule Ball came around.

 

The only thing worse than having a possibly-unrequited crush on a beautiful, intelligent girl you spent hours with each week was having that crush in a school that had suddenly become obsessed with pairing off. Everywhere Hermione turned, girls were talking about their dresses and their dates. Even Ron was starting to grumble about his awful dress robes, although Harry still seemed as dumbstruck by the idea of asking someone as he had been three months earlier.

Normally, of course, Hermione would have just ignored it. But Harry had to attend, and she, as his friend, had to be there to support him. And since she was going, Hermione couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to spend the night dancing with Cho – the lights dim, the music slow, and Cho's smile radiant as she leant in close…

But Hermione had a sinking feeling that Cho had her own plans for the ball, and they didn't involve her.

 

“Cho? Do you mind helping me with something? Not – not for the project, it's just...”

Cho's brow furrowed. “What is it?”

Hermione pulled the mail-order catalogue out of her bag.

“I've never needed dress robes before...”

Cho's face lit up. “Of course! Come on, show me. What did you have in mind?”

Hermione flipped through the booklet. She was sure she could have chosen an outfit without help, but she had wanted an excuse to bring up the ball in front of Cho.

“I don't know really,” Hermione said. “I quite liked this pink one… but this blue one is really nice as well.”

Cho made appreciative noises over the illustrations in the book.

“I'm sure you'd look beautiful in both of these, Hermione!” Cho said. “Oh, I love the thought of seeing everyone dressed up!”

“So, uh,” Hermione tried to sound casual. “Do you have a date yet?”

“Not yet,” Cho said, a soft smile curving across her face. “But… there's someone I'm hoping will ask me. What about you?”

“I don't know really,” Hermione said. “No-one's asked me yet. But Harry has to open the dancing, so...”

“Of course.” Cho's voice sounded strangely flat, as though she had lost interest, and Hermione was suddenly self-conscious. Perhaps Cho had only asked to be polite…

“So, about these dresses...”

“Yes, right.” Cho looked for a moment, then pointed to the blue dress. “This one.”

She sounded completely certain, even though Hermione had been leaning towards the pink.

“Are you sure?”

Cho smiled gently, and handed the catalogue back.

“Yes. It goes with your eyes.”

 

The ball was getting closer and closer. Hermione's dress robes had arrived, resplendent in a shimmering periwinkle blue. Harry and Ron were both actively searching for dates, although neither had been successful quite yet. Hermione had even received a few offers, although she had decided to let Neville down gently. If she couldn't go with Cho, she would rather go alone.

But even though it seemed like the entire school had already paired off, Hermione had yet to hear of anyone asking Cho. And as for Cho herself, she hadn't mentioned the Ball since the day Hermione had asked for her advice.

But that was fine. Cho wasn't obliged to return her interest. And with their project drawing to an end, there was plenty of work for Hermione to focus on instead.

“Try the third flick in second formation?”

A spray of useless sparks skittered off the blackboard.

“What about with the sixth pronunciation variation?”

Hermione repeated the spell again, and the kettle she was aiming at shot up in the air, lodging somewhere in the rafters.

Hermione summoned it down again as Cho made a note of this result.

“I think the third iteration was working better,” Hermione grumbled.

“I still think the fifth shows promise,” Cho argued. “Come have a look at this?”

Hermione joined her in staring at the broad table of results they had joined up.

“Wait…” Hermione said slowly.

Cho gasped, and Hermione knew she had seen it.

“What if -”

“And then -”

“The seventh!” the two said together, and Cho rushed around the desk to join her.

“Do you want to -” Hermione began, but Cho shook her head.

“You do the honours,” she insisted.

Hermione faced down the kettle, took a deep breath, and intoned the latest variation of their spell.

Finally, after days of failed attempts, the kettle rose slowly in the air to about head-height, and began to loudly whistle the national anthem.

Cho shrieked with delight, and threw her arms around Hermione. Hermione hugged her back, tightly, saying “We did it!” over and over as they both jumped up and down. After twelve weeks of hard work, they had managed to invent an entirely new charm.

Then, somewhere deep inside, a part of Hermione thought: _there will never be a better moment than this. Are you a Gryffindor or not?_

Hermione disentangled herself from Cho's embrace, and held both her hands tight.

“Will you go to the Yule Ball with me?”

Cho blinked at her.

“What?”

“The Yule Ball! I understand if you want to go with someone else, but please -”

“I thought you were going with Harry!”

“ _What_?”

Hermione couldn't keep herself from laughing.

“Harry and I are just friends!” she said, for what seemed like the thousandth time in recent weeks. “Wait – I thought you said you liked someone else?”

That was enough to set Cho laughing as well.

“I meant you!” she gasped. “Hermione…”

Cho put her hand against Hermione's cheek, and suddenly Hermione felt very serious indeed.

“Yes. I will _definitely_ to go to the Yule Ball with you.”

 

When Christmas night came around, the air of excitement was so strong that it felt as though the castle itself was buzzing. Thousands of candles filled the Great Hall with a warm and glittering light, and enormous Christmas trees towered around the edges of the dancefloor.

In front of the crowd, the champions opened the dancing. Harry and Cedric's dancing was perhaps a little clumsy, but as they smiled at each other, neither of them seemed to mind.

And at the edge of the crowd, in floating periwinkle blue and glossy silver silk, Hermione and Cho stood, hands clasped together tight. Then, as the crowd began to move out onto the floor, Cho leaned into Hermione's ear and asked:

“May I have this dance?”

 

Hermione couldn't imagine a more perfect night.


End file.
